Dodge a Bullet
by 1Pagan3
Summary: AU! Sequel to Bullet with Butterfly Wings and Bite the Bullet. Normal becomes scarce when a blast from the recent past makes an appearance and turns the Winchesters perfect lives upside down.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Sequel to Bullet with Butterfly Wings and Bite the Bullet. This is the product of Sammygirl1963 "hinting" she'd like to see more Johnny... and really, how can I say no? For those Sammy haters out there though, I have one thing to say - Be gone! Sammy's not perfect, nor do I try to portray him as such... with that said... on with the disclaimers.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kripke's creations or anything of the CW... because really... if I did, do you think we'd have had THAT ending for season 5? Yeah, I think not!

* * *

Snow piled onto the windshield faster than Sam could coax the wipers to sweep them off. Of course it didn't help that there was a short in the old truck's electrical system, causing half the vehicle's electronics to periodically fail. That was a problem for another day though – a day that he didn't have a dozen things waiting on him to do at home, work and school, not to mention the play that Ellie was supposed to be in that very evening.

Pulling into the driveway, Sam looked quickly at his organizer, or as his brother liked to call it, "Little Brother's Leash." He knew Dean was just kidding, but sometimes the things that came out of his mouth actually hurt. It wasn't his fault that he needed everything laid out and organized otherwise he'd never get to them. Honestly though, it was days like this one that made him ache for the open road again with only himself to look after. Sighing heavily, he closed the book and put it in the outer pocket of his backpack before pulling it out of the truck with him and quickly made his way to the door, knowing that no one would be home and was actually thankful for having the five minutes or so to himself to breathe. He knew that he had enough time to start a pot of coffee and put in the frozen casserole he'd made earlier in the week before everything became a whirlwind again, so he quickly set about his tasks while listening to the answering machine… hoping that there wasn't any bad news hiding in the device.

"_Sam, hey its Dad… call me back will you? Nothing majorly important, just need to ask you a question. Thanks, 'bye."_

"_Sam… It's your Mom. Don't let your Dad know that I called, ok? But if you get a moment, will you call me back? Not an emergency or anything, just need to ask you something. Thanks, Sweetie!"_

"_Sammy! Hey, you're not answering your cell phone which means you're either getting your geek on… or getting something else on… huh, huh? Yeeeeeah… ok… look, call me… like quick, ok? Something's going on with Mom and Dad, and __Dude__… it's really creeping me out. Yeah… ok… call me!"_

Taking a deep breath, Sam thought about what he should do. It was clear why his parents called, and that Dean had no clue yet meant they wanted to talk to him about it alone; going as far as not even letting each _other_ know what they were planning. The problem was he didn't know how he could explain it without ratting out the very person he didn't want to know.

Feeling frustrated, he leaned back against the wall before rushing towards the mailbox, hoping and praying that Dean hadn't come home for lunch. Seeing the envelopes, he breathed a little easier and smiled when he found what he was looking for – his bank statement. This month would show a very strange transaction and he didn't want his big brother to see it and throw everything out of proportion. After all, it wasn't any big deal and he'd pay it back, he just didn't want to have to deal with Dean in full guard dog mode – that's what got them to this point to begin with. Taking a quick look at the papers in his hand, he quickly balanced his checkbook and nodded in agreement. Two dollars and twenty seven cents wasn't anything to smile about, but at least he wasn't in the red. Now if he could just find out how to explain to his parents why he raided his college fund, he'd be doing fine.

Dean felt foolish for leaving a message on his own answering machine, but he couldn't get hold of his brother and he really needed to figure out why the hell his parents were acting like strangers. Sure, to anyone else they seemed normal, but he could tell when they were hiding something, and right now it looked like they were hiding it from each other!

Running his hands through his hair, he massaged his scalp a bit in the attempt to release some of the tension, but it wasn't working. Right now he needed to talk to Sammy, but Sammy wasn't picking up. Of course it didn't help he really didn't want to hear his phone ring at the moment since for the past couple of months the only ones calling was the credit card company wondering why the payments weren't in full and usually late. What could he say, they were right. He was behind and every day seemed like he was sinking a little bit further. The only problem was… he wouldn't have done anything different. When the central heat and air system stopped working completely around the same time Sammy decided to disappear with their little princess, what was he supposed to do… leave it like that? So yeah, a whole new system installed had set him back… along with a hole in the roof causing a leak in the attic all because a branch fell on the house during a wind storm. At the time it was enough to make him wonder what the hell they'd gotten themselves into with buying the house. Sure, he knew that more than likely Sammy could have fixed it, but the kid had more than enough on his plate and didn't need the added strain, hence the calls to the repair guys and the credit card bill. Unfortunately though, he'd forgotten what day it was while recovering from a concussion, graciously given to him by a strung out co-ed who had way too much to drink, and missed a payment, adding late fees and an increase in interest on top of everything else. He knew he should have read the fine print on that promotional rate, but he'd been anxious to get everything taken care of, and at the time he hadn't cared how it happened.

"You ok over there, Dean?" Lucas asked as he put his coat on and reached for his duffle. He knew that the kid had something on his mind, but he hadn't had any luck in figuring out what the hell it was.

"Yeah, man… just running late, you know?"Dean answered as he quickly changed and began to lace up his boots. "Sammy's probably got dinner already ready and you know how he gets if he has to scratch out anything in that Leash of his."

Lucas smiled and nodded. Although he knew an avoidance tactic when he saw one, he also knew exactly how Sam got if he had to reschedule something in the notebook he started carrying around. "How's he doing with that?"

Dean suddenly became serious and tried to smile. "Would you believe he actually got more than two hours sleep in a row the other night? I wanted to celebrate by shouting from the rooftops when I found him in his own bed sound asleep. Apparently, Mom came over and watched Ellie while Sammy took care of his assignments and the kid actually was able to check off everything on his list that day."

"Sounds like he's still taking too much on. The kid's not Superman, you know?"

"Yeah, tell me about it. For some reason though he really thinks he needs to make A's in every class and is devastated when he thinks it's not going to happen. Add to that volunteering at Ellie's school, working at the shop and dealing with the household stuff when I'm not there… well, I'm surprised he's lasted this long," Dean said sadly, thinking about when he confronted his little brother and got a heartbreaking look in return. "I don't know… maybe he thinks we'll send him back if he isn't perfect."

Lucas laughed, "He's not a puppy Dean, even with those eyes. You need to make sure he knows he needs to take care of himself too. Maybe take that damn organizer away for a day."

Dean stopped abruptly and looked back horrified, "Oh God no… I finally got him sleeping… no _way_ am I screwing with that!"

The sounds coming from the bays were barely noticed by one of the co-owners of the shop, John being more than just a little distracted by the fact that his youngest son took a large amount of money out of the savings account earmarked for his education. After the pains they'd gone through to get Sammy to agree for them to pay for his tuition and books, the sudden dip in the account balance had him more than a little concerned.

It didn't take a genius to notice Sammy was strung tighter than a guitar string and had gone back to his insomniac ways, leaving him to wonder if maybe his son had gone back to some of his more wild behavior. He really didn't want to think that, but what else could it be?

Taking a moment to think over the past several months, he had to admit that his boy wasn't a slacker by any means. Sammy took his responsibilities seriously, even to the point of neglecting himself in the process, which made the suspicions of drugs, alcohol, or even a hustle gone bad that more upsetting. No, he needed to take his son to the side and find out what was going on. If it was something like that, then they could quietly deal with it without Mary or Dean finding out; it was the least he could do for his boy.

Looking at the page in front of her, Mary knew that something was definitely going on with Sammy besides the obvious lack of sleep and working himself to death. She didn't have a doubt that if she hadn't handed him the day organizer and made him promise to only list ten things per day, he'd still insist on trying to accomplish everything at once. As it was, she was second guessing herself on the ten items – who knew that he could actually find a way to classify a whole list into one block and call it one item?

Shaking her head, she knew that in a couple of weeks it would be Thanksgiving again, which brought up horrible memories of when Sammy had been kidnapped by that lunatic hunter the previous year. So much had happened since that time and there was no way she was going to wallow in self pity about a time that had already passed. Instead, she was going to figure out what was going on with her youngest to make him need so much money in such a short time.

Looking at the clock, she knew she had enough time to take a short nap before getting ready for Ellie's play. This evening was going to be a long one and she didn't want to be one of those in the audience that actually fell asleep during the performances; instead, she wanted to be the one waking the others in her party of four. Tonight their little princess was going to shine and she was determined to be wide awake and cheering Ellie on the whole time.

It took only a moment to find the tape player with some of Ellie's favorite Disney movie songs on it, and another few moments to crawl into the bed that was still in the old nursery, but it took less than a minute for her to fall into a deep sleep with music playing through the earphones causing her to be oblivious to anything else going on around her.

Sam closed his notebook and rubbed his eyes, thankful that Dean had volunteered to pick Ellie up from school today. He knew that by the time he got Ellie back home in order to eat and change, he would have been too wound up to enjoy tonight's play. Now though, he had managed to finally get a handle on his essay that was due in a week, opening up some extra time to get his notes ready for finals that began in a month. Dean still teased him about being an over achiever, but the truth of the matter was that if he didn't have everything lined up and within easy reach and accessible, he usually got the information mixed up, causing him more frustration and a lot more work to understand what he should already know. His advisor Dr. Malloy insisted he was doing exceptionally well, but he knew the truth – without constant diligence, he'd slack off until he wasn't even average, much less 'exceptional,' and that was something he wasn't going to do.

Leaning back in his chair he thought about the time he and Ellie had been on the road and how much work he had to make up when they got home. He'd been offered a Leave of Absence, but he refused, stating that it would be too easy to come up with excuses why he couldn't continue and he didn't want to disappoint his family. It had taken several all night study sessions to catch up and he had never been so thankful to see a semester end than the summer term this year… and that counted last fall when he'd been kidnapped and tortured by a very overzealous hunter.

The phone ringing pulled him out of his musings and made him realize that he hadn't done one very important thing – call his girlfriend to let her know about tomorrow.

"Hey, Layla."

"_Hi Sam… you sound tired. Which is it this time, History or English Lit?"_

Smiling, Sam didn't know what to say, he was busted. "Uh… both?"

Laughing, Layla shook her head and thought about how amazing her guy was. _"Yeah? Well, maybe you need to take a break before Ellie gets home. How about you go over and see if your mom made those cookies she was thinking about whipping up, then you take a hot shower and think about me being in there with you."_

That thought made Sam groan before he answered, "Yeah, well if I imagine that, it'll have to be a cold shower."

"_Seriously, Sam… you're working too hard. Take a little time for yourself, no one will think badly of you. In fact, I wanted to let you know that I can't make it tomorrow because I was just asked to cover another shift. So, how about you take that three hours you have slotted for some us time and use it for yourself… no studying, no going into the shop for extra hours, no volunteering at the school… and definitely no studying."_

"You mentioned studying twice."

"_Yeah, that's because I knew that's what you'd end up doing if I didn't. Please, Sweetie… you're worrying me here. Take a nap, go for a jog, veg out in front of the TV with a beer… I don't care, just please do something for yourself, ok?"_

It took Sam a few moments to finally agree; knowing that if Layla was actually asking for something, there was no way he could deny her. "Ok… I'll do… something… nothing… I don't know, but I won't do anything you listed."

"_Good. Now, get over to your mom's and get those cookies. Make sure you let Ellie know I wish I could be there, but she and I are going for ice cream on my next day off. Love you!"_

"Love you too… 'bye."

The sound of the dial tone suddenly made him feel alone, so he decided to take his very smart girlfriend's advice – time to get some of Mom's cookies.

It didn't take a lot of time to get to the house next door and even less time to open the front door. What took him the most time was coming to terms with was the smoke and flames he saw climbing up the living room walls.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Here's chapter 2 just like I promised. I hope you enjoy it... and uh... I'll be hiding where you can't find me at the end... yeah... enjoy! :)

* * *

The excitement in the school was contagious and Dean couldn't help but smile. Ellie and her friends had worked hard for over a month to get ready for the play tonight, and he could tell that they were looking forward to showing off their efforts. Walking through the halls, he paused in front of his niece's classroom and watched as she twirled around on a colorful daisy floor mat, giving him a glimpse into her mood, happy that she was having a good day.

"Dean, you're a whole two minutes late… we were beginning to think you'd been abducted by rabid damsels in distress," a voice laughed down the hall.

Turning around Dean came face to face with Arianna, the head coordinator for the school and day center. "Yeah, well you know… when you have a body like this… it's only right to share," he joked, knowing the woman wouldn't take him seriously and would most likely laugh at him. "So, I've become that predictable, huh?"

Arianna smiled and nodded. "Oh, most definitely. Don't worry though; it'll be our little secret. To be honest however, I wish some of our other parents took their responsibility to their children as seriously. You and Sam are like a well oiled machine and if either of you are ever more than ten minutes behind schedule, we all know there had to have been a calamity somewhere."

Dean wasn't sure what to think about the woman's frankness and in a way it made him feel more than a little uncomfortable. "I take it the Wilson's are no shows again?"

"You know more than you let on young man, but yes… once again, tardiness seems to be the norm," the older woman stated sadly, "I also have the distinct feeling that today I will be watching over Matthew until after the play tonight."

"Anything we can do?" Dean asked, sure that Sammy wouldn't mind an extra person for dinner. It took a moment for him to realize that Arianna was looking at him strangely.

"Dean, I know that you work odd hours, but surely you haven't been totally oblivious at how much time that brother of yours has been volunteering here," she said while looking at Dean with concern. Seeing the confusion, she knew that she should have addressed the issue sooner. "We had several staff members leave within the last several months, citing a variety of reasons, leaving us dangerously shorthanded. Combine that with the increase in operating costs, we came very close to having to reduce our services. It was your brother who recruited several of the parents to increase their volunteer hours, and he also has covered more than his fair share when there are gaps in the scheduling. In fact, I felt awful when I told him about the increase in the re-enrollment fee as well as tuition but…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… wait… what increase? Arianna?" he asked, wondering why his brother never mentioned it. "Just how much are we talking about here?"

Sam knew that he would have seen his mom if she'd been outside watching for the fire trucks, so she had to be in the house somewhere. Calling out for her, he checked the ground floor quickly before racing upstairs through the flames and smoke, ignoring the voice inside telling him he needed to get out and get help, he checked his parents room first before checking the bathroom and Dean's room, suddenly realizing where he should have looked first.

Yelling for his mom as he burst through the nursery door, he was both amazed and horrified that she was sleeping, oblivious to the smoke and charring occurring under their feet.

"MOM!" he yelled again, while pulling the earphones off her head and shaking her shoulder. He knew he didn't have time to explain and by the sound of things crashing and thumping down the stairs, he also knew that they were trapped unless he could find another way out.

"Sammy? What's going on?" Mary asked; sleep clouding her normally sharp mind. It took a moment for her to understand that her son was literally dragging her to the window while sounding like he was hacking up a lung. "Sammy!"

"I can get you more than halfway down, but you'll have to jump away from the house… downstairs is already gone," he coughed out while opening the window closest to the driveway in hopes that it was furthest from the flames.

Mary stood horrified at her son and refused to move. "No, not without you, Sam. Please, we'll go together."

"We won't fit. I can lower you and follow, but only if we do this now!"

Nodding, Mary suddenly understood the seriousness of the situation and began crawling through the window, grasping her son's hands and allowing him to lower her down before she pushed away from the house and dropped to the snow covered pavement below. Looking up, she was about to yell for him to follow when the unthinkable happened – he dropped out of sight as the sound of part of her house collapsed inside, echoed through her brain.

John knew he was running late, but it couldn't be helped. In order for them to get a fleet of vehicles finished and delivered on time, he and Mike stayed to close out the work order, even though they knew that both Sammy and Derrick would have been more than willing to come in later to complete it. Right now though, he just wanted to take a quick shower, grab some dinner and enjoy the evening watching his little princess show off what she'd been practicing all month.

Turning onto his street, he was unprepared for the fire trucks in front of his house, the sight of his home a smoldering mess, his son's Camero skidding to a stop, or his wife screaming at the Captain. "What the hell?" he thought as he pulled over and rushed towards Mary.

"John! Sammy's inside… oh my God… SAMMY!" Mary screamed and once again rushed towards the house, stopping only when one of the firefighters grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back to her family.

"Mom?" Dean asked as he rushed up with Ellie in his arms. "What happened? Captain?"

Captain Smythe hated when this happened, but at the moment he couldn't do anything about it. "A fire broke out somewhere on the first floor. Your brother was able to get your mom out, but the flooring collapsed. Right now, he's still in there, but we're pretty sure we know his location. We have the fire itself under control and Shaun and Vic are in there right now digging him out. Before you ask, no… you can't go in there, so don't even ask."

Dean was about to argue when the sound of a call coming through the walkie talkie grabbed his attention.

"_Found him… we need a stretcher and medic – stat!"_

At that statement, paramedics rushed into the house, guided by firefighters who had already cleared a path.

Mary took Ellie and watched in horror as each passing moment dragged by, not giving them any clues as to if she'd once again lost a son. The thought was heartbreaking and she didn't know if she'd be able to survive going through it again.

While Mary held onto Ellie tightly, John was holding Dean back, knowing his son wanted to be in there with his brother, but worried that he'd inadvertently become a distraction. He didn't know how any of them would live if Sammy didn't make it – their family barely survived his kidnapping years ago.

"Want Johnny!" Ellie cried out, heartbroken that she couldn't see him. This wasn't what happened when she came home. She always got hugs and kisses and smiles and Johnny and Dean and Grandma and Papa. She wanted her happies… she wanted her Johnny! "Johnny… I want Johnny!"

Dean knew exactly how his little princess felt, he wanted Johnny too. Right now though, they could only watch the door even as water continued to spray upon the charred remains of what used to be his childhood home. Moments turned into minutes and continued to tick away until he thought he'd explode before finally the shouting changed and he saw his colleagues, his friends, surrounding a stretcher with his brother lying limp and obviously unconscious upon it. He could barely see Sammy with the oxygen mask covering half his face and the bandages covering the other half, but he'd know his little brother anywhere.

"We got to go – now!" one of the paramedics shouted as the other quickly jumped onto the gurney and began chest compressions as the others continued to run them to the ambulance, not even pausing as they slid the stretcher inside and closed the doors with barely enough time for a first responder to jump in to help the medic before they were racing down the street, leaving the horrified family behind to work out what had just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Ok, here's chapter 3. I'll try to post a chapter a day, but I have to be honest... I'm a bit distracted at the moment. I have a booksigning on Sat that I'm nervous about and right now is our busy season with the business... so, I'm usually running and not typing. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, see you tomorrow! :)

* * *

The ER waiting room was full of people waiting on word for one Sam Winchester. The registrar didn't know who this person was, but it was obvious that he had to be well loved to have such devotion aimed his way. The computer stated that Mr. Winchester was still in radiology, but it had been saying that for the past two and a half hours, which was why it was such a surprise to everyone when the door opened and a voice called out to anyone in the room.

"Anyone for Samuel Winchester!" Dr. Brent Hunt yelled, hoping that someone was waiting for news on the kid. He loved his job, but there were some cases that just hit hard. When he was told he had an emergency case, he wasn't sure what to expect. When he turned the corner and saw two paramedics and one firefighter standing guard, he groaned at the thought that another firefighter or officer had succumbed to his or her job. It wasn't until the three men saw him and announced in unison, "He's one of us!" that he knew there had to be a story in that bed… and he was right. The kid brother of a local fireman wasn't too much to get excited over, until you heard that he was the kid who was tortured last year and took that death defying leap of faith with his brother. Add to that that the kid had to have rushed into a burning house to get his mom out through a second story window, and you could tell why these men were determined that he got preferential treatment.

"Here!" John called out, already meeting the man in the middle of the room. It didn't take long for the rest of the family and their friends to surround them, waiting for news.

"Ok, first off, you have a very lucky young man, everything considered. When he got here, he had trouble breathing on his own, but he's now off the respirator and on full oxygen to help his lungs get rid of the smoke he inhaled. His blood pressure took awhile to stabilize, going from slightly elevated to below normal until about a half hour ago when it finally leveled out. He does have a fractured skull and some slight bruising on the brain, however there doesn't seem to be any actual bleeding which is a very good sign."

John looked at the doctor and sighed in relief – his son was alright, he was still with them.

"What about burns doc, did the fire get him?" Dean asked, hoping that his brother was spared that painful experience.

Dr. Hunt looked at the younger man and smiled, "No burns. His clothes were singed, but no serious damage to his skin."

"When can we see him?" Mary asked, even as she tried to balance Ellie on her hip.

Sighing, the doctor looked at his notes. "He's going to be in ICU overnight for observation. Normally family is allowed for ten minutes at the top of every hour; however I'm sure I can bend the rules a bit so you all can see that he's okay. I'll have a nurse come for you as soon as we get Samuel settled into his room."

Dean nodded and shook the doctor's hand, "It's Sam… and thanks Doc, you really don't know how much this means to us."

* * *

The wait hadn't been as long as everyone expected but seeing as the room was small; it was quickly decide that Mary and John would go in first while Dean and Lucas tried to keep Ellie happy. The others decided to wait a day or two before checking on Sam, but made sure Dean knew to call if anything was needed – no matter the time, day or night.

Dean didn't know exactly when his friends had become Sammy's friends, but he was happy that it happened; the kid deserved loyalty and respect. Thinking about all the things his little brother had already overcome in his life, made him a little embarrassed at what little he'd actually done himself. He grew up in a stable home with both parents, had all the 'quality time' growing up and even today, he'd never had to worry about where the next meal was coming from or his next pair of shoes, and he sure as hell didn't have to worry about being on the receiving end of an angry fist – well, a jealous boyfriend didn't count. His brother though, his brother didn't grow up with that, but still came out a good person, one he was proud to be associated with.

"Quit thinking so hard kid, your brain's not used to it," Lucas teased while keeping watch over Ellie as she played on the floor. "He's alright, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. It's just…" Dean sighed, "it was close…too close, you know?"

Lucas nodded in agreement. He'd pulled Vic off to the side and got the low down on what happened and close was an understatement. By the time that they had found the kid the flames were already working on the rubble he was trapped under. It had taken several minutes of spraying the flames directly to demolish the blaze, and then several more to dig through the debris to find the kid. From what he heard, their initial assessment was that a funeral was going to have to be planned, but thankfully the kid began to cough slightly, giving them the hope they needed to finish digging him out and get medics in there. Unfortunately it began to get dicey after that until finally the kid's heart just stopped and they had to start pumping him until he took over again… only to periodically stop breathing. Yeah, it was close… too damn close, and he knew that they weren't out of the woods yet. The kid might be breathing on his own again, but fractured skulls aren't something to play with either. No, the kid was in for some real pain, and his family were about to join him on a hell of a ride. Hopefully though it won't be a worst case scenario… heaven help them all if it is.

* * *

Dean stood by Sammy's bedside and watched him breathe, thankful to have this moment without other distractions. He knew how close they came to losing his little brother, he was just thankful his parents didn't.

"Hey Sammy, looks like they have you hooked up to the good stuff. That's good… really good. Look, I really want to stay here with you, but… Ellie saw them bring you out of the house and well… it's not good. She hasn't talked at all since we saw the ambulance leave and if she stays here much longer I don't know what'll happen. I know you understand and are probably wondering why we haven't left yet. It's just… damn it… why does this crap always happen to you Sammy, huh? I mean seriously, what the hell?" he paused, feeling the tears build, but knowing that crying over what could have happened wasn't going to get them anywhere. "I hope you don't mind, but I already told Mom and Dad that they can stay in the corner guest room… I figure it'll help our little princess to know that we're mostly together until you come home and convince her everything's ok again. I just wanted to let you know what's going on, and tell you that you better come home soon kiddo… no matter what you think, we can't do this without you."

Dr. Hunt stood outside the room and listened to the conversation taking place. He'd seen families fall apart and some come together in trying times, but this family seemed so tight nit that it actually renewed his faith in human nature. Looking down at the medical records he could tell his patient had been through hell in his life, but thankfully was able to pull himself out of the downward spiral he had been in years ago. Although not a believer in fate, he couldn't help but hope that Sam Winchester's recovery was a reward for his achievements lately and not punishment for his past mistakes…otherwise the kid was in for a hell of a time.

* * *

The kitchen was quiet as the four occupants sat at the table picking at the pizza that had been delivered less than ten minutes before. No one looked at the trash where the ruined casserole lay, burnt beyond recognition. No one spoke about why they were one person short, no one asked for something to be passed, no one talked about what the next course of action would be. Instead they ate quietly, waiting for the time to put the youngest to bed so the eldest could go and sit with the one they all wanted to be with.

However, in the attempt to keep everything normal, the tension was rising, especially when their gazes fell upon the item Sam had obviously brought home earlier; a cake from the neighborhood bakery, decorated with flowers in the recipients favorite colors with beautifully scripted letters spelling out, _"Happy Birthday Mom"_


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Here's a bit longer chapter for you. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update tomorrow since the next chapter has been incorporated into this one and we have flooding in our area causing my internet to be a bit wonky. Hopefully you enjoy it anyway.

* * *

John sat and watched his youngest sleep. Although the doctor insisted Sammy would be fine, he couldn't help but worry at how his son didn't even stir when they transferred him to a different room. He knew that Dean would be there soon, right after taking Ellie to school, and he hoped his eldest could draw his brother out of whatever space he was currently in because with every moment his boy didn't wake, it was another moment that he grew concerned that something else was wrong.

A nurse walked in and shyly smiled on her way to her patient. She was just about to ask the man sitting in the chair if he needed anything when a pair of dark eyes caught her attention.

"Well, hello there. I was wondering if we'd meet before my shift ended," she said, smiling at the knowledge that the other nurses were going to be jealous. "I'll get Dr. Hunt, you just relax, ok Mr. Winchester?"

Puzzled, Sam looked around, not recognizing anything. Seeing someone approaching, he pulled back slightly and jumped when the man spoke, alarming him.

"Sammy, son… how are you?" John asked; concerned by the confusion he saw on Sam's face.

Running through names and scenarios, Johnny wasn't sure what to think. He couldn't remember ever using Winchester as an alias but he wasn't against it… it actually sounded pretty cool. And he was sure he'd never used 'Sammy,' but then again, right now he couldn't remember what the hell had happened or even where he was, so anything was possible.

"Uh…"

"Sam, it's good to see you awake, you're family has been extremely worried about you and I have to say I was starting to wonder if my diagnosis was wrong," Dr. Hunt said happily as he walked into the room. However, as finished his declaration, he began to notice the confusion from his patient and the near panic on the father. "Ok, I have a feeling I've jumped the gun a little. How about we start over, shall we?"

Seeing the distrust on his son's face, John began to feel something deep in the pit of his stomach and oh, how he hoped he was wrong. "Hey doc, I hate to ask, but do you think we could have a minute? He just woke up and it usually takes him a minute to make sense of everything."

Nodding, the embarrassed doctor agreed wholeheartedly, he'd made a rookie mistake and was more than willing to try and make it right.

After the door closed, John looked back at the young man on the bed and sighed. "You look like you don't recognize me." Seeing the guarded look on his boy's face, he nodded. "Ok. Well, let's see… what do you remember?"

It took a moment but finally, the youngest Winchester male sighed, "I know I should know you… and I think that I might, but I… I guess I'm having trouble putting what I know and what I… feel. Sorry, I guess I'm not making sense."

"Nah, you're making perfect sense. Look, you took a pretty hard hit to the head and the doctor said that you'll probably be confused, so I'm not too worried about that… as long as you promise that you're not planning on sneaking out of here before he says you're ready."

Studying the man before him, Johnny had the sense that he knew him… trusted him. A flash of two men, a woman and… "Ellie!"

Smiling, John held out his hand and gently pushed his son back against the bed. "Ellie's fine. She's at school right now, and Dean should be heading through the door any…"

"Well it's about time you woke up princess! I mean, any longer and I was going to have to explain why there's a line of princes waiting outside my little brother's door," Dean joked as he sat two coffees and a sack of donuts down on the small table, freezing when he heard the unexpected response.

"Brother?"

* * *

Mary sat and waited for her company to arrive. It had been a horrible moment when she finally remembered what she'd forgotten to do and even worse when she made the call and had the conversation that about broke her heart.

"_Layla, it's Mary. I'm sorry to wake you, but it's Sammy… there's been an accident and…"_

"_What? Wait… wait… Mary? What happened? Is Sam alright?" Layla asked, still trying to pull herself out of the sleep induced fog she was in. _

_Taking a deep breath, Mary dove in and tried to get everything out before she lost her nerve. "There was a fire at our house. Sammy got me out but fell through the second story floor. He's in the hospital, but the doctors believe he'll be fine when he wakes up and…"_

"_Wakes up? When did this happen? Are you ok? Are they sure he'll be alright?"_

"_I'm so sorry Layla, it happened yesterday afternoon and I just didn't think to call until now."_

"_Yesterday? Mary, are you kidding me? Sam got hurt, he's in the hospital and you're just now letting me know? He could have been dead and I wouldn't have had a damn clue until what… I call the house later and find a message on the answering machine about funeral details? Is this how you feel about me… about us?"_

"_No Layla, that's not…"_

"_Nevermind. That was out of line, I'm tired and… and I'm tired. I need some time to process this. Thanks for letting me know."_

It had taken several tries to get Layla to answer her phone again, and then several more minutes to convince the young woman to meet for coffee before they went to visit Sam together. Still unsure why she hadn't thought about letting Layla know immediately about what had happened, Mary could only hope that this wasn't a sign of things to come – she really liked the girl her youngest had become attached to.

* * *

Something was slowly kicking into his brain, and it was both a relief and a bit of a nauseating feeling that it was happening. The man next to him, who looked like he was about to climb the walls was… huh… his dad? And the guy in front of him looking like he was about to pass out was… "Dean?"

"Yeah, that's me. You ok Sammy?" Dean asked, hoping upon all hope that whatever scrambling his little brother's brain just experienced was over now.

Sighing, Johnny… no… Sam shrugged his shoulder. "I have no idea. I mean, I know who you are… kind of… but I don't remember why or how, you know?"

"Uh, no… can't really say that I do, man," Dean said sadly as he walked to his brother's bedside. "Seriously though, how bad are you hurting?"

Smiling slightly, Sam shook his head. He didn't remember much, but he had the feeling that this brother of his was the overprotective sort. "Not enough to worry about," he said softly, sensing what was about to happen.

Dean reached over and pushed the nurse's call button. "Which means, "more than I want to admit to," in Sammy speak."

It didn't take long for Dr. Hunt to walk through the door, feeling embarrassed by his earlier faux pax. "How's the patient doing?"

"He's in pain, not that he'd admit it, doc," Dean stated before anyone else had the chance. "And before he gives you some song and dance, he's going to be stubborn about taking something, but he needs it so how about just bypassing what he says and give him a shot, ok?"

"Dean," John quietly reprimanded. He knew exactly how Dean felt, but he didn't want Sammy to feel even more uncomfortable that what he was already. "I'm sure your brother would much rather talk to the doctor himself about how he's feeling and what needs to be done about it."

Rolling his eyes, Dean shrugged and took a step to the side. "Fine. But if I don't like what I hear, then I'm going to step in."

John laughed, knowing that it wasn't an idle threat but still finding the whole situation a little on the ridiculous side. "I have no doubt."

Smiling, Dr. Hunt began his examination before he finally asked, "So, Sam, I hear you're in a bit if pain. How about we figure out just how much before I decide if you need an increase in dosage? What's the last thing you remember?"

Looking at his dad and brother, Sam knew he needed to be honest, but didn't know how these people would react. "Uh… honestly? Driving down I-40 with Cade and Ellie."

Puzzled, Dr. Hunt looked at the other Winchesters and became more concerned at their horrified looks. "Who's Ellie and Cade?"

"Cade was Sammy's best friend and Ellie's our little princess," Dean choked out, completely disturbed by what was happening.

"Ok. Well, it's obvious there are some memory issues. How about you two step out in the hall while Sam and I get this figured out."

Not wanting to leave their Sammy alone, but knowing that the doctor had a job to do and they could actually be in the way, both John and Dean stepped out into the hall, not knowing what would happen the next time they saw the doctor.

Watching Dean pace back and forth in front of Sammy's room did nothing for John or the nurses last nerves, even if it was understandable. The young man hadn't taken a break except for the five minutes that Marley had stopped by to check on them after hearing from Admissions that Sam was back in the hospital. Apparently it hadn't taken long for the older nurse to make her way to where they were and was ready to fight her way into the room if necessary – thankfully no one attempted to block her way.

"What could be taking so damn long?" Dean demanded as he began another pass in front of his brother's doorway. He knew that Sammy would be fine, he just needed to remember why they were brothers, that's all. No problem. He'd just… what… take him back in time and show him how they found him on the side of the road and instantly knew it was him? Yeah, that wouldn't get them all locked up in the psych ward or anything.

John sighed and leaned back against the wall again. "Son, calm down. You know as well as I do that the doctor needs to ask him some questions to determine how bad it really is. Hopefully once he figures that out, then he can tell us what we can do to help." Sure, as if he really believed that they'd be able to help. He knew that if his son's mind was pulling memories from the past instead of the present, there could be some major problems – mainly that their Sammy could go right back into Johnny's old lifestyle, and wasn't that thought enough to scare the crap out of him.

Marlee walked out of the room shaking her head, "Oh my… that poor boy doesn't know if he's coming or going right now."

"Is he alright, do we need…" Dean asked, rushing to the older woman, determined to make sure that whatever she thought needed to be done, would get done one way or another.

Smiling, Marlee rolled her eyes, "Right now he needs quiet, rest and the comfort of his family even if he doesn't really remember them," seeing their concern, she patted Dean on the arm, "Don't look at me like that. Yes, he knows your name and what your supposed relation is to him, he just doesn't get how it came about - it's temporary. As soon as he's healed, it'll all fall into place. But, you all are going to have to be patient with him; you can't just expect him to take your word for things… he's not that type of person."

John and Dean looked at each other, their concern reflected on the other's face. Both men worried that their friend's kind warning was actually an omen for the future, neither knowing what to do if it was.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I am soooo sorry this took so long. Honestly, I had no idea it's been over 2 months! So, if anyone's still with me... thanks so much, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

He looked out the window trying hard to piece everything together. It was weird. His memories were supposedly over a year old, he now had a family and Cade was dead. He really didn't know what to think about that, so instead he laid back against the hospital mattress and tried very hard not to. Giving up that notion, he began to go over everything he remembered as well as everything he knew. He knew he had a brother named Dean, a mother named Mary, a father named John and apparently he was born in Lawrence, Ks. He knew that he worked in the family garage, attended college and Ellie now lived with him in a house next door to his parents. Sure, he _knew_ it… he just couldn't _remember _it! It was like having data suddenly appear in your brain with no idea how it got there or why…nothing was attached to put it all together and it was more than a little disconcerting.

The sound of the door quietly opening pulled him out of his thoughts making him wonder who it was this time. He knew the Winchesters meant well, but jeez… couldn't they leave him alone for more than ten minutes? Looking over, he was just about to ask whoever it was to leave, when his brain stuttered to a halt.

"Oh Sam, I came as soon as I heard," Layla said as she walked quickly to the bed. She and Mary had arrived a few minutes ago, but while Mary was speaking to the others as well as the doctor, she decided she couldn't wait any longer. "When your mom called and told me what happened, my heart stopped. Are you feeling better? Do they know how long you're going to be here?"

Confused, Sam looked at the woman before him and couldn't for the life of him figure her out. Seeing her need for an answer, he'd meant to try and give her some comfort; that yes, he was starting to feel better and no, they weren't sure when he'd be released yet. Instead, what bypassed every filter in his brain and exited his mouth was, "Who are you?"

* * *

Mary stood and listened to the doctor's explanation of how her son was more than just a bit confused, but more like slightly amnesiac. Didn't that sort of stuff only happen on TV?

"I really wouldn't start to worry unless he doesn't show signs of improving after his injuries heal. Honestly, he's doing a lot better than expected," Dr. Hunt said kindly. Seeing their confusion he smiled. "Quite a few of patients with this type of injury become belligerent, willful, with no sense of impulse control. Right now I'm feeling lucky to see him calm and communicative with no signs of trying to leave."

Rolling his eyes, Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. This doctor was happy that his little brother was confused and trapped in old memories that most people spend a lifetime trying to forget. Sure, he was lucky alright!

"When can he come home?" Mary asked, knowing that most likely it was too soon, but still believing that home was the best place for her son to recuperate.

"Mrs. Winchester, I'm really not sure how to answer that. Normally, I'd like to keep him here for a few days to monitor his progress at least, but I have a feeling that that course of action could actually hinder Sam's healing. Let's wait until I see the test results from his last work up and I'll see if I can get an answer for you," Dr. Hunt stated, fully aware that John hadn't said a word to him in quite awhile and that actually made him wonder if there was something that needed to be addressed.

Seeing the doctor look at him, John smiled slightly and nodded. "Thanks, doc. I know you have a lot of work to do, but taking the extra few minutes to fill us in is appreciated."

Nodding, the young doctor turned towards his office, hoping that he hadn't missed something otherwise this family could be in for a lot more pain.

"So, now what?" Dean asked, annoyed that they didn't have any more answers than they started with.

Smiling, Mary opened her purse, "Now, you and your dad go get some coffee while Layla and I…"

"Hey, where is Layla?" Dean asked, looking around. He remembered seeing her walk up with his mom, but now she was nowhere in sight. "Uh…you don't think she…"

The feeling of dread in their stomachs grew as they each came to the same conclusion, Layla didn't know the full extent of Sammy's injuries.

* * *

Layla stopped short and stared at the man before her. "What?" she asked, taken by surprise at the question she'd just heard, "Oh… uh… I'm Layla, Sam… your girlfriend."

"Oh," Sam replied, clearly puzzled by the announcement. Although he wasn't going to dispute her claim, he couldn't verify it either which made him wonder exactly was going on. "Uh…how long?" he asked, no longer looking at her, but continuing his intense gaze at nothing outside his window.

Smiling, Layla walked closer. "Not too long I guess, since this past summer. You and I met when you took Ellie to Disneyworld."

Sam's head shot up. "Disneyworld?"

"Yeah, you had to get away for awhile and decided to take your little princess to see the big princesses. You never told me the whole reason, but I got the feeling that it had something to do with whatever was going on at the time here… at home."

Not sure what that meant, he was thinking of asking what she knew, but was interrupted when the door once again opened and this time allowed his family entrance.

"I'm so sorry, Layla, I meant to only be a moment. I forgot to let you know what happened earlier," Mary stated as she walked up to the younger woman. Seeing Layla's slight frown, she wondered what had happened before they walked in. Now however they might not ever know since whatever had flickered across the young woman's face was now gone.

Smiling slightly Layla nodded before turning back to Sam. "I need to go, but I'll be back after work, OK?" Seeing the hesitation on Sam's face she nodded before turning awkwardly and let herself out, she didn't want anyone to see her cry and she was running out of time to make a semi-graceful exit.

Watching his brother's girlfriend leave, Dean felt badly for both of them. He knew that Sammy hadn't been able to spend as much time as he wanted with her, but not all of that was his kid brother's fault; apparently Layla had cancelled more than a few dates of her own, leaving him to wonder just what the girl was really playing at.

"So… a girlfriend, huh? Anything else I should know about?" Sam asked, a bit perturbed that no one thought to let him in on the fact that there was someone else in his life besides the Winchester clan and Ellie. Speaking of which, "Where's Ellie?"

"School, son. You were able to find her a school that helps Autistic children, and she's been doing very well. In fact, she plans to show us her part in last night's play as soon as you're up for it," John said as he sat down in the chair closest to the bed. "Dr. Hunt said he's going to see how soon he can spring you out of here so you can get home and into more familiar surroundings."

Sam mulled that over a bit and wondered why he just couldn't make any solid connection to these people. Was he that defective, or was something else going on? "Sure, that sounds fine," he answered, not really knowing if he'd needed to respond or not, but liking the silence even less.

As Dean watched his brother, something began to bother him. He couldn't place it, but he had a feeling that it was big, and if he didn't figure it out soon, they were all going to pay for it later.

* * *

Terri Brodsky was having the worst day ever. It actually started late last night when some moron backed into her VW Beetle convertible, ripping off the front driver's side fender, and left before exchanging information. Then as soon as she got home she had to listen to her parents fight about what a burden it was having her still living at home while she was finishing her pharmaceutical internship, never mind that she was paying her own way through college, worked two jobs, paid rent and still did the chores she had been doing since high school. So now, after getting a grand total of three hours sleep, she was somehow expected to deal with her self-medicating boyfriend who couldn't take 'NO!' for an answer.

"Terri, I'm going to need you to double check the prescriptions before giving them to the customers. There was a complaint that a person's prenatal vitamins were exchanged for children's vitamins and corporate doesn't want us to be known as the people who couldn't tell the difference."

Laughing, Terri had to wonder about some people. Sure, mistakes happened, but to make such a grievous error was more than a little irresponsible. Then again, who was she to judge; she was standing in front of the very drug that would help her bi-polar boyfriend level out and make her life just a bit easier.

"Frank, I've got a prescription filled that I'm putting to the side, I need to double check the customer's information," Terri called out, knowing that as long as Frank knew something was in progress with a prescription, he wouldn't bother it. Now all she had to do was find a way to sneak it out of the pharmacy later without anyone noticing, which shouldn't be too hard considering how busy they were today.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Sorry for the wait, life is tossing more curve balls. I'd like to say that I'll update again in a few days, but my publisher wants an expanded manuscript of "Going to California" by Thursday and I through my mom a birthday party earlier today for oh so many people! I hope you like this chapter... let me know!

* * *

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so thankful to be left alone to his own thoughts. Then again, if what he was being told was true… then he wasn't remembering much anyways. Sighing, he leaned back against the mattress and once again began to stare out the window. He didn't know what to think and the only reason why he hadn't walked out the door and roll the bones so to speak was Ellie. So far everyone was in agreement – she was doing fine, her teachers knew to call if she began acting out, they'd all meet up with her later. But that was the problem. According to these people, his best friend was dead and he had sole custody of her but was sharing a house with his brother next door to his parents. That would have been almost plausible if he hadn't been told repeatedly that there was no reference to who he could be, that no one had sent inquiries for him and that he needed to just accept that he'd never find his 'real' family… which he had been more than happy to do, after all if his family didn't want him… he didn't want them.

"Hey kiddo, you're starting to scare Mom, you know?" Dean said as he walked back in the room.

Biting back the groan, Sam looked over to watch as his brother walked further into the room. He knew why they were worried, and honestly, so was he; but this was something he needed to deal with, at least until he could figure out why all this seemed so wrong.

"Yeah, sorry about that… don't know what got into me," Sam said before he turned to look out the window again. Maybe the road had the answers?

Dean walked into his brother's line of sight and waited until he was noticed again, "Don't sweat it. After everything, we're just glad you're still with us, you know?"

Trying to smile, but sure it came out more like a cringe, Sam nodded. "So, what the doc say?"

"That you're outta here!" Dean beamed, happy to be the one to give Sammy the good news. He knew that his brother wasn't a hundred percent, but they all were hoping familiar surroundings would help trigger some of the brain's natural healing. "As soon as we get you settled, I'll go pick up Ellie. Man, she's going to be thrilled to see you! All we've heard since you've been in here is how she wants her Johnny."

Puzzled, Sam looked towards Dean but the man claiming to be his brother had already turned towards the small closet to remove his clothes. It didn't make sense… why would Ellie still call him Johnny if his name was really…

"Sam? Hey… Sammy… you okay in there?" Dean asked warily, concerned by how quickly his brother spaced out. He was just about to press the call button when he noticed awareness once again.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm okay. When did you say I get to leave? I don't want to be late picking Ellie up from school."

Worried, Dean watched Sam as he slowly got dressed, unease quickly building within him.

* * *

Mary looked at her watch once again and wondered what was taking the pharmacy so long. Sure, there were quite a few people today, but she'd never heard of it taking over an hour before; the only reason why she'd chose this one instead of the one she normally went to close to the house was because it was so close to the hospital and she was sure they'd be more efficient.

The pharmacist broke away from what he was doing to talk to a young woman behind the counter and Mary noticed the man sigh and shake his head afterwards before getting back to work. Seeing that they were understaffed made her almost feel sorry for the man, but then again, it wasn't her fault that they didn't hire enough employees. Looking at her watch she became more agitated, she didn't want to get back to Sammy's room just to find out the guys had left without her.

Walking up to the pharmacist she waited until she got his attention, "Excuse me, but I was hoping to find out how much longer. My son is being released from the hospital shortly and I want to be with him when he leaves."

Looking up, the man looked puzzled for a moment until understanding dawned on him, "Samuel Winchester, yes? Oh my, please forgive me, I was sure we had you out of here awhile ago, we were just waiting for the paperwork to print out I believe."

Watching the man walk along the counter to the small printer, Mary could tell when he found what he was looking for. Smiling, she was relieved that she could now get out of here and back to her business… her family. Taking a moment to look around at the other people waiting for their medication, she didn't notice what the pharmacist didn't do.

* * *

Leaning against the wall, John tried to control the impatience warring within him. He knew it wasn't Sammy's fault, he knew that his son wasn't being inconsiderate on purpose, but it was frustrating to see the mixture of his son from a mere week ago and the stranger they found on the side of the road a few years ago. It was hard to watch especially when he suspected that his son was losing the battle within himself.

The door opened and Dean walked out, obviously concerned, but unwilling to give voice to it. "He'll be fine, Dad. You heard the doctor, his brain just needs to heal up then he'll be our normal OCD Sammy again."

Smirking, John nodded and had to agree. As long as the doctor was right, within weeks they could start to begin piecing everything back together again. It amazed him how he couldn't wait to get back to dealing with insurance companies, irate customers and even a bounced check or two – amazing how perceptions change when someone you love is almost lost.

As they began talking about what they would need to make Sam more comfortable in his own home, they noticed Mary rushing down the hall with a triumphant look on her face.

"Got it!" Mary exclaimed and at their confused expressions she laughed, "Don't ask, just know that from now on, we stick with the pharmacy in the neighborhood!"

* * *

He was sick of this. He was tired of people telling him he'd be alright. He was sick of having people talk to him like they knew how he was feeling and why. He was tired of having the same conversations over and over and still not being able to remember the intricate of 'HOW'. But most of all he was just sick and tired of being sick and tired. Right now he wanted to leave the room, leave the hospital and find Ellie… after that, who knew, but where he was right now left too many questions unanswered, and that wasn't doing anyone any good – especially him.

How he wished Cade was there. They might not have always got along, hell there were a few times he thought Cade was going to kill him, but overall he was his best friend and he sure could use the other man's opinion right about now. Then again, if what he'd been told was right, then he'd never get a chance to do that, never get a chance to ask about something, never see Cade roll his eyes and give a smart assed answer in response just in time for Johnny to feel at least slightly stupid for even asking.

The more he thought about it though, it didn't fit. Cade was too smart to have gotten caught up in a deal gone bad, and too healthy to just die so young. So what happened, what could have been so bad that it could take down his friend? He didn't know, but wasn't going to let it go, he was going to get answers one way or another. Until then, he'd play his part and if he didn't like what he found, he knew what he'd have to do.

With his decision made, he waited patiently until the doctor came in with his release papers and complacently went through the motions as his 'family' helped him into the wheelchair and down the corridor. He could wait, at least until he saw Ellie.

* * *

Terri couldn't believe her luck. It had been bad enough that there had been a huge onslaught of people needing their prescriptions, but for her to have been called into the office to speak to one of her advisors about her intern status was just too much. It was almost like the universe was out to get her today and she honestly didn't know how much she could take.

Going back to her station she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary and quickly got back into her routine, ignoring the glares she received from her boss. She couldn't help it that she was still bound to the school as much as she was to the pharmacy.

Hours tripped over each other as customers came and went, each one with their own malady or concern, leaving both the pharmacist and Terri thankful when it was time to close. As she gathered up her personal items, she reached over for the bottle she had put to the side but didn't find it. Puzzled, she was about to frantically search for it when it occurred to her that most likely she'd already slipped it into her purse when she went to her locker before meeting with her advisor. Seeing her boss' impatience, she quickly smiled and rushed out of the area and heard him lock the door with his night code.

Listening to Pearl Jam while driving home she was content to enjoy her few moments of solitude before her nightly torment began. One day she'd have her own place, but until then she'd make do with what she had. It wasn't until she was home, in her room that she realized that she didn't have the bottle of pills in her purse and the horrible fear that one of the day's customers got it by mistake hit her hard.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Finally... another update. Sorry for the wait, but things are a bit nutty. Reviews are love and hugs! :)

* * *

John didn't want to admit he was watching the backseat through the rearview mirror as much as he was watching the road through the windshield, but that was exactly what he was doing – as if one of his passengers was going to do some sort of strange trick… or attack; at this point he didn't know if either would surprise him.

"Sweetheart, calm down," Mary said quietly, trying not to alarm either of their boys to their concern. It wasn't Sammy's fault, it really wasn't, but when he asked to be taken home instead of going with them to pick up Ellie it threw the rest of them a little off balance.

Nodding, John knew his wife was right. He needed to calm down if for no other reason than to have a clear head in order to figure out what was going on with his youngest son. Knowing he wasn't going to get any answers at the moment, he resolved himself to getting them home before he went to pick up their little princess. He's only had to do that once before, when Sammy's truck refused to start and Dean was out on a call. It just added to the uncertainty of how their little girl was going to react to the situation.

* * *

Sam knew that he freaked his 'family' out when he asked to be taken home before anything else, but it was the only thing he could think of to check out the situation without putting Ellie in danger. Sure, he heard the story of how they'd never stopped looking for him, how he basically fell into their laps and how he resisted the idea at first but finally came around and they were now one big happy family. Yeah… right. He didn't know the real story, but he wasn't going to fall in line quickly or easily because none of what they'd told him made sense.

The doctor had asked what he remembered… not knew, and he'd answered automatically, going down the highway with Ellie and Cade. He remembered why they cut their trip into town short, he remembered the heat beating on the pavement, the scent of Ellie's shampoo clashing with the fabric softener on her clothes, the harsh words Cade threw at him on the way even as they both tried to stay calm so they wouldn't upset the little girl sitting between them in the truck who had spent the whole trip quiet and withdrawn. For him to now hear that Cade was dead and Ellie was doing well in school and that she was now six was just too much to swallow.

Now that he thought about it, he realized that he could believe that a lot easier than him suddenly having a family and they were of course the very same people who were watching him like he just sprouted a new head.

Looking out the window once again he noticed they were pulling into a driveway that belonged to a two story brick house with white trim and bushes lining the house all the way around… all it needed was a swing set and a dog and it would have matched the stereotypical American dream home, something he'd always known he'd never had. His shock turned into a choke as soon as his heard the man, his brother, speak.

"Pretty cool, huh? It has one of those fancy play sets in the back and we've been thinking about getting a dog for Ellie."

Nodding, Johnny slowly got out of the car and continued to stare at the house before him before turning to the neighboring yard and saw the remaining rubble of what one could only assume had been once a house. "Well at least that part is true," he thought as he continued to mull over in his mind what he knew – including the information that he'd been taught, demons often used your desires against you.

* * *

Terri hadn't slept all night, worrying over where the bottle of prescription anti-psychotic medication went. The only explanation she could think of was that she had dropped it on her way to either her car or her locker, quickly ruling out her locker since she hadn't been asked if she knew anything about them before she left. Of course there was one other possibility but she wouldn't entertain that idea because her luck couldn't be that bad – could it?

Going through the motions was easy at home since she was practically invisible unless something didn't get done. However, it was when she arrived at the pharmacy that she felt as if she was about to vibrate apart. How was she going to find out what happened without confessing to everything else?

"Hey, Terri… don't you have a test today?" Marcie Langley asked as she saw the other woman stare at her normal work station. "Don't tell me you can't get enough of us?"

Knowing that Marcie was joking, Terri smiled weakly before shrugging. "I needed to check to make sure we got all of the prescriptions out yesterday. It was so crazy, I kept thinking that we forgot one."

Marcie laughed and shook her head. Ever since the young woman started her internship it seemed like the girl couldn't make up her mind if she were here or there. "Don't worry, from what I can tell everyone got their prescriptions. But maybe you should go ahead and take the day off. From what I hear, Frank is a bit irritated with what happened yesterday and he's ready to lay into you." Seeing Terri's confused look, she continued, her own puzzlement growing, "You know… that prescription you held onto for almost an hour? Uh… Winchester I think. Frank apparently had to finish it up while you were talking to your advisor."

Feeling as if the world had suddenly tilted, Terri could only stare at her coworker until a customer walked up to the counter. Understanding hit her and she realized fully just how screwed she was.

* * *

The headache wasn't going away, instead it was building up in intensity and Sam had to wonder just how bad it was going to get before he completely snapped. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the medicine bottle in his hand and wondered how he got to this point. When did he decide to allow someone else determine when and what he should take for pain? Feeling as if he was facing down a firing squad he took the recommended dosage in hopes that it would allow the pain to diminish enough for him to pull his thoughts together and figure out what the hell was really going on.

Listening to the sounds of the house, he began to do a walk through, knowing the Winchesters were watching him closely, hoping that something would jog his memory. However, something still didn't seem right. Who the hell moves into a house with their brother, directly next door to their parents? Seriously!

Going upstairs it didn't take a rocket scientist to see which room was supposed to be Ellie's. The room with posters, basketball goal on the door and the clothes all over the floor had to be Dean's. What puzzled him was the two remaining rooms. While one was immaculate as if hardly used, even the dirty clothes were neatly in place in a hamper in the closet, the other looked as if a couple lived in it with a pair of jeans draped over the back of a chair, a robe hanging on the back of the door and several pairs of shoes in the bottom of the closet. If the parents had just temporarily moved in, then why did the room already have a lived in feel to it? It didn't make sense.

"_Maybe that's the point. Maybe… they aren't who they say they are. Maybe, you need to listen to your gut, kiddo."_

Hearing Cade's voice made Sam look around. "I don't understand."

"_Yeah, you do. They're not who they say they are. How many years were you in their system being bounced around? Don't you think that if they were your family they would have found you?"_

"But why? Why go through all this? What do they want?" Sam… Johnny asked, unsure of anything that was running through his head.

"_Don't know. But do you really want to risk Ellie until you figure it out?"_

"No!" No, he would never risk Ellie, no matter what the situation. All the questions he'd had, all the answers that had been avoided suddenly seemed more important now than ever. Something wasn't right. Someone or something was screwing with his head. But they made a horrible mistake – they involved Ellie. Now he knew exactly what he needed to do and he wasn't going to stop until he succeeded.


	8. Chapter 8

The timer on the stove quietly counted down the time until dinner was ready, while Dean and Mary continued to send worried looks up towards the ceiling where they knew their Sammy was roaming around. John was on his way back with Ellie and neither of them knew what was going to happen when the two youngest members of the family came face to face.

"It'll be alright," Mary said quietly, not sure who she was trying to convince, Dean or herself.

Nodding, Dean could only hope his mom was right. Right now though, he had to be skeptical because their family wasn't known for their run of good luck. Hearing the Impala pull into the driveway, he felt a sense of relief that he and his mom weren't alone in this. It was a feeling that left him feeling more than a bit unsettled considering he should never feel that way around his own brother.

The sound of car doors shutting outside announced that the rest of the family arrived, but it was the excited chanting of "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny" that told the occupants just how much of a hurry a certain little girl was to get inside.

"Hey Princess, how was your day?" Dean asked as he scooped Ellie up into his arms and swung her around the kitchen, instantly noticing that he was not who she really wanted to see. "Yeah, ok, go on… he's been waiting all day for you."

Ellie instantly ran out of the kitchen and through the dining area calling out for her Johnny, leaving the others to wait until they were either needed or wanted, knowing that right now they were not a part of the world that only had room for Sam and Ellie.

It wasn't long before they heard whispering, then happy giggling; giving them hope that their exclusion would be short lived. The timer on the oven buzzed, giving Mary a reason to move from the spot in John's arms and tend to her family by calling out that dinner was ready and everyone needed to wash their hands before sitting down at the table. The answering silence didn't alert them; neither did the muffled giggles coming from the dining room. No, what sent the chills running down their spine and the warning bells protesting loudly in their heads was the sound of the safety being flipped and Sammy…no, Johnny's voice saying, "I told Ellie we're going to play a game… so, let's play."

* * *

The thrum of the classic engine was almost therapeutic and if he was in any better of a mood, Johnny might have enjoyed it a bit more. As it was, he looked in the rearview mirror and was amazed at how much his little princess had grown. He continued to watch her as she pretended to be asleep and he knew that she was going to be mad at him for quite awhile, but he couldn't bring himself to care; her safety was his top concern and being with the 'Winchesters' wasn't beneficial to her. No, better she be mad than dead.

"Sorry Princess, but you're just going to have to trust me on this," he said as he turned his attention back to the road, hoping he hadn't made the worst mistake of his or Ellie's lives. Normally he wouldn't let demons live, but there was something… something about…

"_Jeez, kid. You really have gone soft of me haven't you?"_

Shaking his head Johnny tried to ignore the voice that was becoming more and more ever present by his side. His head was still splitting and the only thing he had was the prescription that the doctor gave him. He didn't want drugs. He hadn't needed drugs ever since Ellie was born and only took the heavy stuff when nothing else worked for pain. Now though, he couldn't just stop and get some aspirin or heavy duty over the counter pain meds, so he'd have to bite the bullet and take the damn prescription… at least until he could get something else.

"_Sammy? What are you doing there, little brother?" Dean asked cautiously as he maneuvered himself between his brother and mother._

_Motioning over to the chairs, Johnny reached into the nearest drawer and pulled out the nylon clothesline that he had bought the week before. It was odd knowing where things were without knowing why or how it got there._

_Groaning, Dean knew they were in trouble as soon as he saw the clothesline. He'd teased his brother about going all girly on him, choosing a pink and white color, but then he found out that it was for the next time Ellie wanted to build a fort and he felt extremely moronic for trying to make a big deal about it. Now though, it looked like his little brother was about to show them just how far off base he'd gone._

"_Mary, I want you to tie them to the chairs tightly… wrists first, then elbows, then ankles and knees. And please… don't fight me on this. For whatever reason, Ellie likes you, so please don't make me shoot you…any of you."_

_He watched closely as 'Mary' tied the lengths of rope to the chair and ignored the look she kept giving him._

"_Sammy, please. I know that right now you're confused. But," Mary began as she finished tying the last length to John's chair. _

"_Don't! I'm not in the mood for anymore lies. Now sit down. As much as I'd really like to waste all of you, I can't with Ellie in the next room. But don't think I'll hesitate if I think you're going to confuse her any more than you have or try to stop us," Johnny said as he took the rope and came closer to the person who pretended to be his mother. "For what it's worth, you all put on a great show." And then he hit Mary with the butt of his gun and quickly tied her to the chair, ignoring the yells coming from both John and Dean. _

"_Johnny?" Ellie called out as she slowly ventured into the room, causing sudden silence to descend upon the room. "Johnny?"_

_Cursing internally, Johnny turned and quickly picked up Ellie and rushed into the other room where their bags were already packed and ready to go. He'd really hoped that they would have been able to leave without her seeing what was going on. As it was, now he had to keep her calm and hope that the people in the next room didn't blow it to hell. _

"_It's just the game, Ellie. They're alright, see?" He asked as he walked back into the kitchen and let her see for herself that her family was indeed okay. _

_Knowing that Dean as about to blow his fuse, John smiled as he looked at Ellie. "It's okay sweetheart, its part of the game. We'll see how long it takes for us to get loose and then we'll see you soon. Go with Johnny for right now, ok?"_

"_NO! Grandma! Dean! Papa! Want stay!" Ellie yelled as she tried to get out of her Johnny's arms. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew this wasn't a good thing. "NO!"_

_Frustrated, Johnny hauled the screaming little girl out towards the first car in the driveway and got her settled before he peeled out onto the street and didn't look back as he sped his way through the streets of Lawrence and out of town._

He had no doubt that right now there was an APB out on him and the car, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Right now he needed to get Ellie home safe and sound, knowing that Cade would help him figure out what to do next.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: I hope this one is to your liking... don't forget to let me know. Oh... and repeat after me, "Pagan's a sucker for happy endings. Pagan's a sucker for happy endings."

* * *

"Mary…Mary!" John called out as he watched Dean try to maneuver his chair closer to his mom. Today just wasn't going to the way it was supposed to and he really couldn't help but wonder what the hell they were going to be able to do about it.

"I've almost got it, Dad," Dean said as he concentrated on untying the rope around his wrist. He was probably going to have to see the dentist after this, but if it meant getting his family out of this mess, it would be worth it. Finally getting the knot loosened, he was able to work the rest of the length until his wrist was free and he could begin the process of finding a knife to cut the binding off his dad so they had one fully functional person around.

It didn't take long for Dean to find a knife, but the trick was to cut through the rope without damaging the skin underneath. "Hey Dad, remind me that if we're ever in this spot again, to free my right hand, ok?"

John laughed and nodded, knowing that it was taking longer for Dean to help him loose with his left hand, but was still extremely thankful that his son was in the position to help them at all. Things could have gone a whole other way and…

"That wasn't him, Dad. You know that… right?" Dean asked, while still concentrating on the task at hand. "I mean… he's had drug interactions before so maybe…"

"I know, son. How's your mom?"

Dean paused long enough to assess his mother the best he could and let out a sigh of relief. "She's alright, he didn't hit her hard."

Relieved, John nodded and allowed Dean to continue to work on the bonds. With one concern taken care of, he could begin to think about his other concern – his youngest son. The look Sam had given them left him no doubt that they weren't dealing with the same Johnny they had met on the road. No, this Johnny was the one Sammy had tried to warn them about so many times… the one who was more than willing to kill to protect the only family he's known, Cade and Ellie.

"Son, I need you to listen very carefully. Sammy's not going to react well to us following him. We need to figure out a game plan to get him to listen to what we have to say, to hopefully convince him that we're really his family."

Dean paused and looked at his dad wondering what made the man not think he already knew that. Silently nodding, he went back to the delicate task of getting one of his dad's arms free so they could get…

"Hello? Sam?" Layla called from the driveway, carefully knocking on the screen door of the kitchen. "Sam? Dean?"

"Layla! Hey, can you give me a hand here?" Dean called out, not wanting to freak his brother's girlfriend out, but not wanting to prolong this any longer than necessary either.

It didn't take long for first the screen door, then the kitchen door to open and even less time for the box of cupcakes in Layla's hand to drop to the floor.

"What happened? Are you alright? Where's Sam? Is Ellie okay?"

Not sure if he should feel relieved or annoyed, Dean allowed the young woman to continue on her question marathon while she cut the ropes allowing both Winchester men to be free and mobile.

"Dad?"

"Go son, I'll take care of your mom and explain as much as I know. Go and find your brother," John said with a pained smile. He really hated the idea of his oldest going off alone, but right now he didn't have much of a choice.

Before Dean had a chance to move, the doorbell rang, causing everyone to wonder what else could happen in such a short time.

Taking a moment to scoop his wife in his arms, John followed Dean into the living room and got Mary settled on the couch while his son carefully answered the door.

"Um, excuse me. My name is Dr. William Torrance and I'm wondering if Samuel Winchester lives here. This is an extremely urgent matter."

Stunned, Dean couldn't help but stare at the older man before him as well as the young woman by the doctor's side.

* * *

Johnny knew that Ellie was mad, that much was more than a little clear. Right now he couldn't bring himself to really care. His top priority was her safety and if he was right, then she had been living with a 'family' of demons for who knew how long!

"It's alright Ellie. I'm going to get you home and everything's going to be alright," he said as he continued to race the car down the highway. He knew he'd have to ditch it soon, but with the horsepower and smooth ride, he was hesitant to give it up just yet. If he was lucky he could get out of state with it before he had to really think about finding new transportation. Then again, if he was _extremely_ lucky, he could wait until early morning.

"NO! Want Papa…want Dean… want Grandma!" Ellie screamed as she kicked the back of the Impala's seat. She wasn't happy and she was going to show it any way she could!

Taking a deep breath, Johnny tried to push the headache away, but knew it was a losing battle. Reaching for the bottle in his pocket, he maneuvered another dose into his palm and took the medication dry, hoping it would help soon otherwise he just might completely lose it.

Doing his best to ignore his little princess behind him, Johnny instead turned his focus ahead and wondered how the hell he was going to explain all this to Cade when he didn't know what was going on himself. How was he supposed to take care of Ellie when he wasn't, in all honesty, sure that the little girl in the car with him was really her. How the hell was he…

"_Chill out kiddo, everything's cool. It's Ellie, trust me. You're doing everything right. Just get her home and we can deal with the rest."_

"Right. That's all I have to do… get her home. Just get Ellie home and Cade will take care of the rest," Johnny mumbled, creating a mantra in his mind, trying hard to hold on to one small part of himself while the pain threatened to consume him. Ignoring the fact that his pain was not going away, but increasing steadily with every beat of his heart.

* * *

Dean stared at the people now situated on the couch next to his mother, not comprehending what they actually told them. There was no way this could happen, right? He might not know a lot, but he did know there was safeguards to make sure this type of stuff didn't happen!

"Are you sure?" Mary asked. She had woke up as soon as her family had let the strangers in and still felt a little out of sorts especially considering the tale they'd just been told. She smiled slightly to John to let him know she was alright, but then turned her full attention back to the people who may have very well torn her family apart.

Sighing heavily, the Dr. Torrance nodded. "I'm afraid so. Ms. Brodsky came to me as soon as she realized the extent of her error. We were hoping to be able to speak to Samuel about this and extend our apologizes as well as our full cooperation with whatever legal action he would like to pursue. Our full attention however must be that he gets the medical help he needs immediately."

Giving a snort of disbelief Dean turned to look out the window. He had no idea what to say that wouldn't sound condemning and from what he saw the young woman was already putting herself through the wringer. Not that he really cared. Right now all that he cared about was his little brother who had been given an anti-psychotic drug instead of an analgesic, causing him to not only behave out of character, but possibly even a bit schizophrenic – cranking up his concern for their little princess too. Unbelievable! Just when he thought things were getting back to normal, something else happens!

Turning back to Terri Brodsky's advisor, Dean demanded, "What do I need to know to get him back?"


End file.
